The other Sexton is off to Oz

The British

& Irish Lions

Tour to New Zealand 2017

The other Sexton is off to Oz

The name Sexton will be gracing Australian rugby shortly regardless of whether Jonny makes the Lions tour Down Under this summer.

The Ireland playmaker is the runaway favourite for the No10 shirt when Warren Gatland's men take on the Wallabies in June and July, especially now that Rhys Priestland's season appears to be over thanks to an Achilles injury.

Headlines of 'Sexton signs for Rebels' may have had Leinster and Ireland fans momentarily fearing the worst today given that Jonny's future is still up in the air but any panic would have been shortlived as it is his namesake Tom who is moving to Melbourne.

Hooker Tom won't be there in time to face the Lions on June 25 at AAMI Park but he has signed a deal to join Australia's newest franchise at the end of the year.

The 23-year-old was born in Melbourne but moved to Ireland at the age of four.

He went on to captain Ireland Schoolboys but has struggled to make a similarly strong impression in the senior game.

Sexton has played just six times for Heineken Cup holders Leinster and is a long way behind both Sean Cronin and Richardt Strauss in the province's pecking order.

Strauss' recent injury and Cronin's international involvement should see him feature at first-team level in the coming weeks but the chance to play Super XV rugby was clearly too good to turn down.

"I was definitely flattered to have a team from Super Rugby interested in me," said Sexton.

"I'm really looking forward to it. I'm obviously a little bit nervous about moving to the other side of the world again, but it's definitely very exciting.

"It was a tough decision to leave, but I'm thrilled to return home to Melbourne and play for the Rebels."